Madison County Chooses Energy Systems Optimization Company Over Traditional ESCO

Employees and visitors of Madison County were uncomfortable in the county’s facilities in central New York: rooms were too hot in the summer, and too cold in the winter, and the lights were too dim.

On top of being inefficient with disparate temperatures and low light levels, the energy systems were a burden on the County to maintain.

County officials knew something had to change.

Instead of turning to a traditional energy services company (ESCO), Madison County leaders chose an energy systems optimization company to innovate a bundled energy performance contracting project that would improve occupant comfort, save on maintenance and achieve a net zero in energy usage.

The energy systems optimization company, different from an energy services company, takes into account three things when optimizing energy systems and weighs them equally: energy, finances and human impact. Often times, traditional ESCOs implementing performance contracting projects have inflated prices because they perform the role as the middlemen between the customer and the trade experts who deliver the actual solutions. Many traditional ESCOs are owned by equipment manufacturers making it difficult to be open minded when it comes to finding the best solutions to address customer’s needs.

The energy systems optimization company Madison County selected got right to work at the Wampsville, NY campus — which contained a jail, a maintenance garage, courthouse and several office buildings. They installed new mechanical and lighting systems, made upgrades to the building envelope, added tint film to windows and repaired the existing building automation system.

The project was funded through a performance contracting vehicle, requiring no up-front capital and the ability to use the guaranteed energy savings to pay for the project.

The $2.95M energy systems optimization project — completed on time and within the budget — resulted in reduced maintenance, enhanced occupant comfort and made a positive impact on the local community while not spending one cent of valuable taxpayers dollars.

“It has been a pleasure working with our energy systems optimization partner. The project was run very smoothly and efficiently, and the results have been phenomenal.” – Kevin Loveless, Madison County Building Maintenance Supervisor.